Brilliant
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I found myself completely captivated by this first of Proust's classic series; his evocations of children's perceptions of the world of grownups, and of what it is like to be a man in love, are simply superb. Sure, you have to smile a bit at the very long sentences - the editor protests that Proust's reputation for this is a bit unfair, in that "only" a quarter of the text consists of sentences that are longer then ten lines - yeah, right. But it would be impossible to unwind them. The pace of the book is of course very slow but I found that part of its charm. Roll on the second volume.
Also I was taken aback by the amount of girl-on-girl action. I'm not used to that in classic literature.
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What would have happened if he'd had a coffee instead?
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Why oh why has this new translation been published in two different covers? The American ones, in Penguin Delux Editions, have gorgeous covers, and the British editions have the usual wishy-washy close ups of roughly period paintings, and for some reason, Groucho Marx on the spine. His eyes follow you around the room. If it were not for that stupid law that means the last two volumes of the translation can't be published in the US until 2019 (& why won't sombody fix that?) we would never have bought them in this version, and will have to spend the afternoon covering them. It is most distracting...
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Only love can break your heart
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Slow to the point of retardation, circular, ambiguous, prurient, self-absorbed and above all French; it is a mystery to me why this book is considered to be the finest novel ever penned.
I read this book on holiday in Ventnor and despite an overhelming sense of self-satisfaction at having read such a fat book, I was bitterly disappointing. I don't mind a little psychological acuity, the odd pastiche of the aporetic round of human living etc. but overall I found the plot thin and the action scenes over-written. Selling a million copies is the goal of every serious writer but I feel Mr Proust has made too many concessions along the way. Many of the gags are cheap and the female characters unconvicing. The comic timing is also way off - sometimes the punchline comes several pages after the set-up.
However, the Baron de Charlus is a good character and will ring bells for anyone who hails from the Sheffield area. There is also a very entertaining moment where the narrator chokes on a bit of cake and his whole life flashes before his eyes (although in slow motion).
I think that the over 40's and anyone who wants to learn how NOT to tell a joke would like this book. Probably not appropriate for readers with impaired memory or synaesthesia.
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A unique reading experience, well worth the effort
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Sooner or later every serious reader must come to terms with Marcel Proust's six volume work, Remebrance of Things Past. This new translation is as good a way as any to get into it, and Swann's Way, as it is usually called, is the first volume. This is a challenging read. The reader needs to relax, to give up all hope of finishing the book quickly, or of finding an exciting plot or much forward movement in the book. But once you have set aside your notions of what constitutes a novel, and are prepared to go on this meandering journey of self-disovery (through finding in yourself the same thoughts that Proust thinks), you will find an intimate and beguiling novel which will generate the "of course" reaction in you as you see yourself and the people around you in a new light. Proust has the gift of analysing the interior motives of his characters, not just in terms of their actions, but in terms of their thoughts and speech. He detects the evasions and dissimulations in everyday social interactions and exposes the deceits of convention and tradition. Having read this book I can say that all though it was a difficult read, it was worth the effort and the memory of this novel past has affected the way I look at the world around me. I look forward to volume 2.
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This Internal Dialogue of Stalled Thinking Is Irresistible
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All of us have self-talk, which is quite different from the way we converse with each other or write. Proust has captured self-talk in a delightful display of stream-of-consciousness writing that is unequaled in literature. You will find yourself remembering many of the same thoughts in your own self-talk. By focusing inward, Proust succeeds in portraying much of what is universal about all of humanity. Unlike Joyce, who employed the same technique, Proust is easy and delightful to follow. You will sense beauty in thought that will make you glad to be alive. It will also stimulate you to notice more about the world around you and your reactions to it. Do be aware that an internally-focused book does not have a lot of action and drama in it. On the other hand, neither does most of life. I think Proust has captured the essence of human life in a very valuable way. But if you like Dirk Pitt novels and little else, you would do well to avoid Swann's Way. The main drawback of self-talk is that we often build hurdles where there are none. We often talk ourselves out of things that we should pursue. As a result, our thinking stalls our ability to act. You will find lots of delicious examples of this in the hypochondria explored in this book. Although this book is rarely assigned in literature classes, almost everyone would benefit from reading it. You can best use it as a mirror to see yourself better. That should make for a tasty dish that is irresistible once tasted. Bon appetit!
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